12 October 2011 - 0 Comments

There has been an interesting increase of interest in Polynesian reggae music lately over the last couple of years within territories such as NZ, Australia, the Pacific nations as well as ex pat Pacific communities within the US; many Hawaiian artists and groups in particular are currently enjoying newfound success both at home and abroad.

Offering an exciting, fresh new spin on the Island music genre is Samoan reggae singer Francis Paulo, currently based in Mangere, South Auckland New Zealand.

Originally hailing from Vaiusu in Samoa, Francis was one third of a popular and well known group in Samoa called Valaau Alofa, writing and performing both covers and originals for many years there prior to moving with his family to NZ in 1999.

Introduced through a mutual friend in 2001 to NZ (Mangere, South Auckland) music producer Matthew Faiumu Salapu (Anonymouz), the two recorded his first self titled NZ album that year which enjoyed modest local success.

The pair reunited in 2005 to work on his second album Tofa Valaau Alofa, which contained the single Evaga featuring Samoan Ragga artist Hamokane, a track which gained significant radio play on Pacific music stations NIU FM, 531 PI and Radio Samoa.

Subsequent interest in the album resulted in well received live performances at both the Main stage and Samoan stage at the Pasifika Festival in Western Springs in 2006.

Sporadic work on his follow up third album was spread out over the next four years, finally culminating this year in the recent completion of his latest album Lagona o le Alofa, released in September at Mangere's Apia Way NiteClub.

Click here to purchase the album online: http://www.amplifier.co.nz/release/77513/lagona-o-le-alofa.html

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